Tricked Into Truth
by Sky Rose
Summary: Out tricking the Trickster takes a bit of guts and a lot of smarts. When Renji realizes that he's fallen into the trap, he figures out a way for it to become beneficial to both of them and it turns something that started out as fake into something that ends up more sincere.


It started with a kiss. Admittedly, it was a rather unintentional kiss. And somehow, it grew into something more, though few words passed between the two.

The day this began started like any other. It just so happened that the nearest person that could rescue one Niou Masaharu turned out to be Yanagi Renji.

Renji had been leaning against a wall, going over his notes for his class after lunch. Niou had ran past him looking like he had seen a ghost or the demons of hell were right behind him. Renji had looked up as he saw Niou's rattail fly past him. Niou skidded to a stop, and turned back around. His eyes lit up when he realized that it was Renji standing there.

Renji looked back in the direction Niou had come from and saw a horde of fan girls chasing after Niou.

"Getting popular with the girls again, Niou?" Renji asked nonchalantly.

Niou grinned. "Sucks to be popular." He answered as he invaded Renji's personal space. Renji shifted closer to the wall as Niou pressed up against him. Renji stared into Niou's eyes, wondering just exactly what the trickster had in mind.

The girls were almost upon them. The two boys had to be in plain sight of the first wave of the girls. Niou laughed quietly, and pressed his lips against Renji's. Renji stood there shocked. What the two boys expected to be groans of disappointment turned into squeals of delight.

Niou grimaced as he pulled away. That was most definitely not his intention. Well, might as well play into it, right? Niou wrapped his arm around Renji's waist. "Sorry girls." He said. "I'm taken."

Renji frowned. Luckily no one would question that facial expression as it was his default.

There were a few groans, but most of the girls sighed and left them alone.

Renji gave Niou a dirty look once they were alone. "Niou," Renji started.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Niou said.

"You realize that everyone is going to end up spreading the idea we're a couple all over the school." Renji said. "Do you really want to play this charade through?"

"Eh, give it a week to die down, then we can have an epic break up, no one will be the wiser, and the girls won't bother with me any more if they think I like guys."

"Your logic is flawless." Renji said sarcastically.

"Just play along for a while."

Renji sighed internally. "Fine." He said, having the feeling he was going to regret this later.

It didn't even take half a day before word got around the school. Yukimura was waiting for Renji outside the door to the school.

"Renji." Yukimura greeted him as he fell into step next to him. "I heard an...interesting rumor earlier."

Renji groaned. "Seiichi, let me explain."

Yukimura wasn't listening though. "I never thought you two would be like that. And especially not together." Yukimura laughed. "Guess opposites attract after all."

Renji sighed. He honestly expected a lecture that would have been summed up by 'Don't let this affect your tennis,' not another person gushing over it.

"It's not like that, Seiichi." Renji tried to interject, but Yukimura wasn't listening. He jumped a little as someone snuck up behind him and wrapped their arms around his waist.

"Oooh, I see even buchou's heard the news." Niou's voice came from behind Renji.

Renji stiffened a little. This was not what he needed at the moment.

Yukimura chuckled softly. "Don't take too long to get to practice." He told them.

Renji glanced around and waited for Yukimura to get quite far ahead of them before he shoved Niou up against the nearest wall. "This not what I need right now." He hissed at Niou. "Do you know how much harder it is to pull off a fake relationship than being involved in a real one is?" He asked, letting go of Niou's shirt.

Niou grinned. "Like I said, just for the week. Don't you think you can manage that?"

Renji glared. "No." He said in all seriousness and stormed off to tennis practice.

The next day didn't start out much better. Niou was hanging off of Renji all during practice, and everyone was giving them looks both knowing and evil.

Renji took a deep breath and reminded himself it was only for a week. That was if he could survive it.

Classes passed normally, thankfully. The lunch hour was rather eventful though.

Renji had been looking forward to having a nice quiet lunch, returning his books to the school library and finding something new to read. Instead, he was pulled out of his chair and dragged along to the roof. He wasn't at all surprised that it had been Niou that had brought him up here.

"Why are we up here?" Renji asked, sitting down on the rocky roof.

"Making this whole thing look good." Niou explained. "What couple wouldn't spend lunch together?"

Renji rolled his eyes and tossed a pebble towards the other side of the roof. "Niou, this is not going to work. Someone is going to catch on eventually." Renji said. "We should end this charade."

"We're just getting started." Niou said, staring out at the greenery on the school's campus. He finally sat down next to Renji and leaned on him.

Renji had to admit to himself that it felt strange, but oddly comforting as well. Perhaps he was seeing a side of Niou that very few people ever see. Then again, this did sound like one of his typical schemes as well.

Renji glanced over at Niou. "Was the situation really that desperate that you had to involve me in this as well?"

"It's worth it if it'll get the girls to leave me alone. Maybe they'll start stalking Sanada or something."

Renji snorted a little at that. Sanada was notorious for totally ignoring the attentions of anyone male or female that showed a romantic interest in him.

"Was it really that bad?" Niou finally asked.

"What?" Renji asked, even though he had an inkling of an idea of what Niou wanted to know.

"The kiss." Niou stated out right. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

"Do you really want me to critique you on your technique, or just the general feelings behind it?"

Niou stared at Renji. "You make things more complicated than they need to be." He stated. "Other than the surprise, what did you think?"

Renji smiled a bit. Perhaps he was making this complicated. "After the initial shock, my mind went pretty blank." He admitted. "It's not every day one of your friends comes up to you and kisses you out of the blue. What was I supposed to think?" Renji asked.

Niou shrugged. that you liked it just a little.../i he thought to himself. "Don't know." He drawled as the bell rang to signal the end of the lunch hour.

Renji stood up and stretched. "I'll see you at practice." He said heading back into the building.

Niou followed suit a few moments later. Maybe Renji was right and this was stupid. Why was he feeling so damned confused now?

That night Renji lay on his bed, the light still on. He was thinking about this whole thing. What else was he supposed to tell Niou – he mind really had gone blank during that kiss. It wasn't that he didn't like it, but he didn't have the chance to brush Niou off or even think about liking it. Now he had the time to think about it.

Renji brushed his hand over his lips. It had been different, he was quite willing to admit that.

"You're still up?" Renji's sister asked as she passed by his room. Renji nodded in answer and motioned for her to come in and sit down.

"Nee-san...have you ever kissed another girl?" Renji asked.

She looked at Renji as if he'd asked if the sun was green. "Why do you want to know?" She asked, not quite willing to answer just yet. She paused a second before continuing. "Wait, let me guess – you kissed a guy?"

"It was more like he kissed me. And he said he only did it to escape the attentions of the girls that like him."

Renji's sister made an understanding noise. "To answer your question, no , I haven't. So do you think it meant something or not?"

"That's the entire part I'm not sure about." Renji admitted. "He suggested we pretend to be in a relationship for the week so everyone will think that at least he's not straight. I don't like it." Renji paused. "What if we do end up actually liking each other?"

Hitomi shrugged. "If it happens, it happens." She said, standing up. "Don't think about it so much, Ren." She said, standing in the doorway for a second, then turned around grinning. "Is he at least cute?"

Renji threw his pillow at her.

"You know what?" Niou asked Renji the next day during lunch. Renji glanced over at him questioningly. "Ya'know, part of this 'making it look good' thing." He elaborated, popping a bubble from a piece of gum he'd stolen from Marui earlier.

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

"We should go on a date."

Renji choked on his food. That was about the last thing he had expected to hear out of Niou's mouth. After he could breathe again, Renji shook his head. "You know, most people do things the other way around. They usually go on dates first, then start with the kissing and such."

"When have I ever done anything normally?" Niou smirked.

"Point." Renji said as he took another bite of his lunch. "What did you have in mind?" He asked cautiously.

Niou shrugged. "No idea." He admitted. "I thought you'd be rather opposed to the idea." Niou laughed. "I guess my data was wrong."

Renji raised an eyebrow. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't." He said. Like Renji would let anyone collect accurate data on the data master. Renji started grinning. "I think you owe me quite a bit for playing along with you." He said, evil dripping from his voice.

Niou grimaced. This was not going to be good no matter how he looked at it.

Niou never realized just how prim and proper Renji could be. And he was right about his bad feeling. Renji had decided that they should have a date at the most expensive restaurant that Renji could think of.

Niou was starting to regret the whole idea.

"Oi, Yanagi, what are you thinking?" Niou asked quietly.

"Hm?" Renji asked quietly. "What do you mean?" He asked innocently.

"You're being weird." Niou said.

"Not as weird as I could be." Renji said, smiling.

Niou shivered.

The boys were walking back to Niou's home after their "date." It was a pretty quiet walk. The boys both seemed lost in their own thoughts.

Renji was the first to break the silence. "Have you thought about what might happen if either of us actually develops feelings for the other?"

Niou stared at him, then shrugged. ""Never'll happen." He said.

Renji looked at him. "And if it does?" Niou paused.

"What, you got a crush on me or something now?"

"Well, you did say to make this look good." Renji said as they stood outside the door to the Niou family's apartment. "And I intend to do just that." Renji said as he pressed up against Niou and crushed their lips together.

Niou's eyes widened to about twice their normal size. Was that he'd done to Renji in the first place? Damn! Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea. At least, Niou thought he could get used to it just as a camera's flash went off and Renji backed away in shock.

Renji stared at the girl who had the camera in her hand. "Hey!" Niou yelled at his sister as he chased her inside. "Give me that!" Renji sighed, but smiled a little. Sisters could be so cruel he though as he turned to head home himself.

The weather the next day was rather rainy. It just poured and poured down. Renji finally managed to get to the library during lunch. He was sitting at a table to study for a test that afternoon. At least, that was intention.

Niou sat down across from Renji, waiting for the other to acknowledge his presence. Niou frowned as it was longer than a minute and Renji still hadn't acknowledged him. "Oi, Yanagi." Niou said and kicked him under the table.

Renji looked up from his book. "Yes?" He said coldly.

"What's with the attitude?" Niou asked.

Renji glanced around, making sure no was near enough to overhear them. "You said that at the end of the week we would have, and I quote, 'an epic breakup'" Renji said. "Shouldn't it appear as if we're fighting so there's a good reason for it?" He asked logically.

"Damn you and your logic." Niou said, grinning. "I got to thinking.." He started.

Renji leaned back in his chair. "I can't wait to hear this." He started dryly

Niou laughed. "After I finally got nee-chan to delete the picture," iafter I saved a copy for myself/i he thought to himself, "I got to thinking what if you were right?"

"About what?" Renji asked, knowing but wanting to hear Niou say it.

Niou nervously twisted his rattail around his finger and brought up to his face to chew on his hair nervously. "About what you said...or rather suggested last night."

"Oh? What was that? I seem to have forgotten." Renji said, having not forgotten a word he said the previous night.

"Ah...You know, the whole what if thing..."

"What about it?" Renji asked, bowing his head back over his book.

"Well...Nee-chan asked me something that got me thinking." Niou said, looking anywhere except at Renji.

"And what was that?"

"She actually asked me if you were a good kisser. And if you were if she could date you." Niou scowled.

"I'm not into older women anyway." Renji said, a hint of smile growing on his face. "You were jealous, weren't you?"

"What makes you think that?" Niou asked, trying to not answer the question.

"Just from the way you're acting." Renji stated, stretching his legs out and brushing his foot against Niou's leg. "I told you it's harder to pull off something as fake as this has been."

"I hate it when you're right." Niou said. "Nee-chan said we were cute together."

Renji laughed. "Mine asked me if you were cute." He admitted. Niou snorted.

"Of course I'm cute. Everyone wants me." Niou said, grinning.

Renji just shook his head as the bell rang.

"You're certainly the last person I expected to see here, Genichirou" Renji said as he caught sight of Sanada.

"Ah." Sanada replied. "I'm meeting someone."

Renji raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised."

Sanada just snorted a little. "What are you doing here?" He asked of Renji.

"Meeting someone." Renji answered. "And there he is."

Niou walked up to the two. "Yo, fukubuchou, Renji." He greeted them as he threw his arm around Renji. Sanada just gave them a look.

"Good luck with your own date, Genichirou." Renji said. "Ready, Masaharu?"

Niou made a face. "I should never have let you call me that."


End file.
